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How to Overcome Inner Resistance | Steven Pressfield
Huberman Lab20 October 2025·2 hours 15 minutes
My guest is Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art and expert in how to overcome the inner force of "resistance"—the self-sabotaging tendency to procrastinate on your life's most important work that keeps you from realizing your professional and creative potential. Steven shares actionable tools for defeating inner resistance that work. His approach is concrete, not based on slogans or inspirational messages. As the author of numerous best-selling books and screenplays, Steven's routines for cultivating discipline and focus, including his physical training regimen (he is incredibly mentally and physically vigorous at 82), are applicable by anyone. He gives you effective practical strategies for how to structure your day, overcome procrastination and self-doubt and do your best, most meaningful work.
Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps
(00:00:00) Steven Pressfield
(00:04:55) Ideas & Resistance, Tree & Shadow Analogy
(00:08:45) Military, Pushing Through Resistance, War of Art
(00:10:14) Physical Training, Tools: Capturing Ideas, Little Successes
(00:16:11) Sponsors: Helix Sleep & BetterHelp
(00:18:36) Ideas, Invocation of the Muse, Goddess
(00:23:19) Writing, Focus, Inner Critic, Perfectionism, Tool: Think in Multiple Drafts
(00:28:21) Writing Session; Workout Analogy & Concentration
(00:32:28) Aspiring Writers & Focused Hours; Work Session Timing; Phones
(00:35:31) Inner Voice; Storytelling, Advertising
(00:39:45) Soul & Growth, Creativity, Your Calling & Voices of Resistance, Suppression
(00:48:10) Loved Ones: Projection, Resistance & Sabotage
(00:51:04) Sponsors: AGZ by AG1 & Rorra
(00:53:52) Angry & Numbing Out, Resistance, Internet; Following Your Calling
(00:59:00) Mentors: Lessons on Focus & Quitting
(01:06:46) Perfectionism
(01:10:42) Contemplating Your Mortality, Family Honor
(01:16:49) Proving Yourself & Competition
(01:22:01) First Movie, Failure, Analyze Feedback?, Tool: Self-Evaluation
(01:28:28) Book Success, One-Hit Wonders; Book Titles
(01:34:22) Sponsor: Function
(01:36:09) Personal Sacrifice; High Achievers & Unbalanced Life; Social Media
(01:44:44) Tool: Turning Pro, Amateur vs Professional Habits, Failure, Feelings
(01:49:32) Cost of Turning Pro, Tool: Taking Oneself Seriously & Others’ Reactions
(01:56:42) Creativity: Practical Advice & Muse; Acts of Faith; Surrender
(02:04:00) Sponsor: David
(02:05:17) Workspace, Uncomfortable Chair, Physical Labor, Complaining
(02:08:13) Forthcoming Book, Book Recommendations
(02:13:46) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
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